@@BreakfastAllDay This look at the simplicity of everyday life, understanding the difficulties, but giving value to the small moments of contemplation. An ode to Carpe Diem without being pedantic, just realistic in appreciating the banality of existence. Sorry for my bad English and greetings from Brasil
Wenders' wife Donata says It is the most Wenders' film since "Wings of desire". The fact that the protagonists watch everything with love, and are watched with love by the director, which makes us audience watching it with love, makes it incredibly inspiring and a beautiful experience.
So, I was watching Kristian's live Monday show with Rocha and the topic of inconsiderate use of mobile devices in theaters came up and Kristian mentioned that he loves watching movies next to Alonso b/c Alonso *will tell the person* to knock it off/shut it off. Someday, I, too, would like to see a movie with Alonso and Christy 😄
Everyone outside of Japan has missed a crucial hint that explains a lot about this movie: Hirayama was in prisión at some point (the way of folding up his futon and organising his belongings on the shelf are exclusively a ‘prisioner thing’).
May explain the falling out with his father and his documenting his days like a prisoner. But wouldn’t someone in the military do the same. Or anyone in Japan with limited space studio apartment whose bedroom must double as a social room and likely doesn’t have a laundry room or shower?
Hmm folding up the futon and being organized could just be a Japanese thing. It’s not unique to fold up the futon when done. It can take up a big portion of the room.
A little late to the party, but this film finally came to my local art house cinema, and...I LOVED IT. The simple story structure about a toilet cleaner's daily routine is brilliantly told in a very meditative manner. It easily spoke to me not just as a film lover, but also as a real-life janitor myself, and there has been no other film I can easily relate to in general. It resonated with me so well (and also how well-made it was) that I immediately wanted to watch it a second time. It's my first Wim Wenders film so I have a bit of catching up to do, and Kōji Yakusho has such an interesting presence on-screen in general after watching the 1997 psychological horror film 'Cure' from the late '90s. 9.8/10 (the only reason why it's not a 10 is that he doesn't wear gloves when he picks up trash on the floor. not very hygienic)
I finally saw this movie tonight. Loved it. Maybe my best film released in 2023. As Nina Simone sang I cried. I've visited Japan several times and this movie seeps the culture. It's like Wenders took Ozu, Jim Jarmusch "Night on Earth" and Alain Resnais "Hiroshima Mon Amour" put them in a blender and placed it in Japan. Oh how I love this movie as someone into meditation, Buddhism and seeing the almost perfect presentation of mindfulness. Thank you.
It's truly a beautiful film and a charming charming performance from Kōji Yakusho, who frankly deserved an Oscar nomination imho ... I was lucky enough to know absolutely nothing about it going in and I found myself smiling and feeling better and better as the film slowly unfolded AND then felt great for many hours, actually for days after also!! A lovely way to spend 2 hours at the cinema ... both this one AND Monster (or L'Innocence) too!!! I think it's pretty clear however that The Zone of Interest both will and deserves to take the Oscar though!!
Awesome review. I cannot wait to watch this. International films have been wonderful all year. Will you guys be catching Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell?
In this movie, first time I heard of Patricia Highsmith who once toasted, "To all the devils, lusts, passions, greeds, envies, loves, hates, strange desires, enemies ghostly and real, the army of memories, with which I do battle-may they never give me peace". Wim Wenders intended in this movie to kill all those and created a slow pace, at peace with yourself in the humblest things you do and see heart in simple music, plants and extremely simple human nature. Distilled to the simplest, at peace and enjoy your most humble self; most of us are closer the toilet that we take for granted than we think and there's so much in life with it.
I liked "Perfect Days" a lot, but thought both "Monster" and "Godzilla Minus One" were superior films, and would have made for better choices as the Japanese entry for "Best International Feature Film" at the 2024 Oscars.
I lived 15 years in Japan and never once saw a man cleaning public bathrooms. You'd be standing at a urinal and suddenly there'd be this little old lady cleaning the next over urinal. I guess that's besides the point. I'm curious to see this. I do like Wim Wenders.
Okay, after a long day at work he would not be drinking ice water at the bar, he’s drinking Shōchū! Shōchū is an alcoholic beverage, usually stronger than Sake and often mixed with juice or tea. Also, most public washrooms in Japan are not designed so elaborately. In this film, we are only seeing a select few which were part of a special project in the Shibuya area of Tokyo called “The Tokyo Toilet”, where each building is uniquely designed by 16 different creators from around the world. Most public toilets in Japan are quite simple and boring. Anyway, this was one of the most beautiful films I’ve ever seen!
Christie you look amazing today..😍 Alonzo you look fantastic.😊 Both of you look fresh😂 I want to watch this toilet movie too. Because of you I am checking out "Until the End of the World". 5 hour director's cut. Thanks for being knowledgeable of film and keeping it alive. ❤
Based solely on this review, I went and caught it while it was still on near my house. It's such a gentle movie, and don't we all need one of these every once in a while? I did spend the bulk of the runtime legit concerned about this man's eating habits lol. The power of good storytelling, making me care so much about this man not eating enough. Great soundtrack too. Thanks for the recommendation, always appreciate it.
I think the ending shot of his face is key. Whe now see a man whose mask is slipping. Deep down, he is not truly happy with his life. He is punshing himself by isolating himself from his family for reasons unclear. The ending shot shows that while there are simple joys in his life not to be taken lightly, he is torn that he struggles to find meaningful connections but still feels the need to put the smile on in his little world. Self imposed presumably
The trailer for this has been on the front of literally movie I've been to for the last few months, so I think Neon thinks this is going to be a sleeper hit
In case you’re interested. He gets a can of Boss coffee every morning. Hot and cold coffee is very popular in vending machines in Japan. I’m pretty sure he’s drinking Highball, or some alcohol with a tonic or water mixer. Again, very popular here in Japan.
A great slice of life film. Japan made another great animated slice of life film last year called Little Girl at the Window. I’d probably put it even over this one. I hope you watch it if you get a chance. BTW, I think he was drinking a highball but didn’t pay close enough attention.
wanted to love this little slice of life, but that ending was… a choice - visually, cinematically, technically, such a childlike and tacky decision, really nettlesome; aside from that, cultural nuances and Koji Yakusho were great & insightful
@@BreakfastAllDay precisely + Koji’s overplaying that last sequence + song choice… as per my experience, that was unbearable, killed the overall vibe with that huge portion of over-sentimentality
Haha! Garbage sleep I get it. Sounds like you understood the movie on a deep level because the main character cleaned out garbage and fell asleep many times too. Why did you go to the movie? What were you expecting? Explosions?
Lol - typical meandering Wim Wenders movie. He's celebrated for generating boredom in that "unique" arthouse style (that every director has). PD is over two hours long, and 80% of the movie is scrubbing and cleaning, so beware. I did get some of the things C&A mentioned, but it's not enough for a feature film. Also, what does Wim Wenders know about Japanese culture that he gets to represent it? Feels odd and wrong to me that Japan would submit a film by a European director instead of by their own. When it made the shortlist, I guaranteed my friends that it would be nominated because it was Wim Wenders. That's how it usually goes. Whoever has the most clout gets the love.
1. The first half of this argument just reads like "I have no attention span." 2. Who cares if Wenders isn't Japanese? If he did the research, made a good movie and the Japanese submission board found it respectful enough to represent them, then what does it matter? Plenty of directors make films in other countries and cultures and do a good job of it. 3. Wenders movies have been submitted by Germany, like, 3 times before and never got nominated. Same happens with a lot of famous directors. By this logic, Fallen Leaves should've been a shoe-in because Kaurismäki is a legend and the film has gotten tons of clout.
No attention span because I want story rather than a guy cleaning for two hours. Got it. We've had this debate before. Seems like you like slow and boring movies, which is your choice. Though perhaps you've bought into the lie that slow and boring is art, which I've been trying to deconstruct. PD does have its merits, but it's ridiculous to shower such praise on this movie. It's certainly not a 9.5. I give it a 6, which is still above average. I argue that the merits of this film, which Christy and Alonso spoke about, would not be so highly appreciated if they were served in a movie with a strong narrative. In other words, it has to be served in this "understated" package in order to receive such praise. What drives me crazy about film criticism in general is the grandstanding that goes on. It's almost like arthouse lovers want to pretend they're geniuses. Lol. They have the intellect and sophistication to get what others can't. Most people are not brilliant, so this is an easy way to pretend. It's the 'Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome.' The previous Wenders films that weren't nominated all did make the shortlist. He of course didn't have the legendary status he has today, and was competing with filmmakers that did have that status already at the time. But you have to also take into account the meme value of having a celebrated director make a film in a foreign land and not in his native tongue. Japan obviously felt honored by his interest in their country, and so they chose his film for submission. I saw PD months ago before it even made the shortlist, and I predicted it would be nominated. They could have chosen films by their own directors, such as Godzilla Minus One or Monster. GMO is a better film. I haven't seen Monster, though that has a higher RT rating than PD. Though Monster is probably another slow and boring art movie judging by that director's other work. Oh yeah, it's that deadpan style that is so "bold" and "unique" and "subversive." 😉@@thefilmseeker
@@angelthman1659 Oh yeah, I knew your pfp looked familiar... you're the "snail's pace" guy! Well, there's no point in arguing this again, especially if you're of the opinion that Godzilla is better and that Kore-eda's work is "slow and boring." There's no convincing you of the value of art films when your go-to argument is "Well I liked Whiplash!" Just stick to the kiddie pool, pal.
@@angelthman1659There’s no point in arguing in good faith with someone so condescending they inherently assume anyone who likes slower movies is grandstanding because they can’t fathom anyone with an attention span.
Best International Movie of 2023 for me, Wim Wenders still amazing
Glad you loved it too! What did you enjoy about the film?
@@BreakfastAllDay This look at the simplicity of everyday life, understanding the difficulties, but giving value to the small moments of contemplation. An ode to Carpe Diem without being pedantic, just realistic in appreciating the banality of existence. Sorry for my bad English and greetings from Brasil
@@MatheusOliveira-fy1gk Hello to you in Brazil, appreciate you being here and sharing your thoughts!
Wenders' wife Donata says
It is the most Wenders' film
since "Wings of desire".
The fact that the protagonists
watch everything with love,
and are watched with love
by the director, which makes
us audience watching it with
love, makes it incredibly
inspiring and a beautiful
experience.
"The toilets are so fascinating in this movie"... say no more, I'm sold lol.
They really are! They're so cool-looking and each one is so different from the others.
@@BreakfastAllDay Woah! I'm not a toilet connoisseur but I have to watch now!
The cinematic equivalent of drinking a nice warm cup of green tea. Beautiful film.
Ha, very true!
So, I was watching Kristian's live Monday show with Rocha and the topic of inconsiderate use of mobile devices in theaters came up and Kristian mentioned that he loves watching movies next to Alonso b/c Alonso *will tell the person* to knock it off/shut it off. Someday, I, too, would like to see a movie with Alonso and Christy 😄
Ha, we're fun!
Everyone outside of Japan has missed a crucial hint that explains a lot about this movie: Hirayama was in prisión at some point (the way of folding up his futon and organising his belongings on the shelf are exclusively a ‘prisioner thing’).
Ah, interesting! We just thought he was tidy.
You just make me understand the depth of the character and therefore, the whole movie. Thank you so much.
May explain the falling out with his father and his documenting his days like a prisoner. But wouldn’t someone in the military do the same. Or anyone in Japan with limited space studio apartment whose bedroom must double as a social room and likely doesn’t have a laundry room or shower?
Hmm folding up the futon and being organized could just be a Japanese thing. It’s not unique to fold up the futon when done. It can take up a big portion of the room.
How did you get to that conclusion?! He's just folding his blanket.
A little late to the party, but this film finally came to my local art house cinema, and...I LOVED IT. The simple story structure about a toilet cleaner's daily routine is brilliantly told in a very meditative manner. It easily spoke to me not just as a film lover, but also as a real-life janitor myself, and there has been no other film I can easily relate to in general.
It resonated with me so well (and also how well-made it was) that I immediately wanted to watch it a second time. It's my first Wim Wenders film so I have a bit of catching up to do, and Kōji Yakusho has such an interesting presence on-screen in general after watching the 1997 psychological horror film 'Cure' from the late '90s.
9.8/10
(the only reason why it's not a 10 is that he doesn't wear gloves when he picks up trash on the floor. not very hygienic)
Hahahahaha i was thinking the same thing when he was picking up the trash
I finally saw this movie tonight. Loved it. Maybe my best film released in 2023. As Nina Simone sang I cried. I've visited Japan several times and this movie seeps the culture. It's like Wenders took Ozu, Jim Jarmusch "Night on Earth" and Alain Resnais "Hiroshima Mon Amour" put them in a blender and placed it in Japan. Oh how I love this movie as someone into meditation, Buddhism and seeing the almost perfect presentation of mindfulness. Thank you.
So glad it moved you, Rob! That last shot is beautiful. What a performance.
beautiful film great review
It's truly a beautiful film and a charming charming performance from Kōji Yakusho, who frankly deserved an Oscar nomination imho ... I was lucky enough to know absolutely nothing about it going in and I found myself smiling and feeling better and better as the film slowly unfolded AND then felt great for many hours, actually for days after also!! A lovely way to spend 2 hours at the cinema ... both this one AND Monster (or L'Innocence) too!!! I think it's pretty clear however that The Zone of Interest both will and deserves to take the Oscar though!!
Zone is the frontrunner for sure, but it's so nice to see this film in there too. Thanks Bev!
@@BreakfastAllDay Couldn't agree more!!🙋🏻♀
I loved it. The last scene 😢
The laughing while fight back the tears. He did an incredible job
Awesome review. I cannot wait to watch this. International films have been wonderful all year. Will you guys be catching Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell?
In this movie, first time I heard of Patricia Highsmith who once toasted, "To all the devils, lusts, passions, greeds, envies, loves, hates, strange desires, enemies ghostly and real, the army of memories, with which I do battle-may they never give me peace". Wim Wenders intended in this movie to kill all those and created a slow pace, at peace with yourself in the humblest things you do and see heart in simple music, plants and extremely simple human nature. Distilled to the simplest, at peace and enjoy your most humble self; most of us are closer the toilet that we take for granted than we think and there's so much in life with it.
I liked "Perfect Days" a lot, but thought both "Monster" and "Godzilla Minus One" were superior films, and would have made for better choices as the Japanese entry for "Best International Feature Film" at the 2024 Oscars.
I lived 15 years in Japan and never once saw a man cleaning public bathrooms. You'd be standing at a urinal and suddenly there'd be this little old lady cleaning the next over urinal. I guess that's besides the point. I'm curious to see this. I do like Wim Wenders.
Yikes
What was Christy's number? 😅 I'm assuming 9.5 'up there' with Alonso?
I wondered that too 🎉
I can't wait! I rarely cry when consuming media, but the trailer alone almost made my eyes a little moist!
Christy, what was your number for this movie? Is it a 9.5 as well?
Indeed.
Okay, after a long day at work he would not be drinking ice water at the bar, he’s drinking Shōchū! Shōchū is an alcoholic beverage, usually stronger than Sake and often mixed with juice or tea. Also, most public washrooms in Japan are not designed so elaborately. In this film, we are only seeing a select few which were part of a special project in the Shibuya area of Tokyo called “The Tokyo Toilet”, where each building is uniquely designed by 16 different creators from around the world. Most public toilets in Japan are quite simple and boring. Anyway, this was one of the most beautiful films I’ve ever seen!
Good to know. He never seemed drunk.
Yay, loved your review and can't wait. Will catch it when it's out. Tonight we saw Alain Delon in "Plein Soleil" - loved that too.
Hope you enjoy it!
I was fortunate enough to see it back in November with its limited NYC run. It made my top 10 favorite films of 2023.
I loved this movie and really felt his acting.
Have you seen departures?
Christie you look amazing today..😍 Alonzo you look fantastic.😊 Both of you look fresh😂 I want to watch this toilet movie too. Because of you I am checking out "Until the End of the World". 5 hour director's cut. Thanks for being knowledgeable of film and keeping it alive. ❤
Based solely on this review, I went and caught it while it was still on near my house.
It's such a gentle movie, and don't we all need one of these every once in a while?
I did spend the bulk of the runtime legit concerned about this man's eating habits lol. The power of good storytelling, making me care so much about this man not eating enough.
Great soundtrack too.
Thanks for the recommendation, always appreciate it.
So pleased that we were able to steer you toward a film you loved, thanks for letting us know!
I think the ending shot of his face is key. Whe now see a man whose mask is slipping. Deep down, he is not truly happy with his life. He is punshing himself by isolating himself from his family for reasons unclear.
The ending shot shows that while there are simple joys in his life not to be taken lightly, he is torn that he struggles to find meaningful connections but still feels the need to put the smile on in his little world. Self imposed presumably
That is such a great interpretation, thank you for sharing it.
The trailer for this has been on the front of literally movie I've been to for the last few months, so I think Neon thinks this is going to be a sleeper hit
They played it before Godzilla Minus One Minus Color, which is smart.
In case you’re interested. He gets a can of Boss coffee every morning. Hot and cold coffee is very popular in vending machines in Japan.
I’m pretty sure he’s drinking Highball, or some alcohol with a tonic or water mixer. Again, very popular here in Japan.
Thank you for that insight!
He’s drinking Shōchū at the bar.
I cannot wait to watch this. It sounds very similar to Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky, which is one of my absolutely favorite movies.
Let us know what you think!
Let's hope it has another driving instructor in it then.
En ra ha!
A great slice of life film. Japan made another great animated slice of life film last year called Little Girl at the Window. I’d probably put it even over this one. I hope you watch it if you get a chance.
BTW, I think he was drinking a highball but didn’t pay close enough attention.
Good to know, thanks for the suggestion!
I thought if Jean Dielman as well 😂 I heard another reviewer compare this film to a mindfulness exercise which also cracked me up
I saw this a few days ago and I loved it.
Isn't it beautiful? So glad you caught it.
Why isnt this playing in my region 😭. I freakin love Koji Yakusho!!
Hopefully soon!
Awesome Movie. His drink is Boss Coffee. There is a shot in the movie where you see the label on the can. I want to try it now.
Good to know, thank you!
It's a good coffee! Found it at a local store near me
Saw it this last night , a film sooo chilled. Was very calm all night after this.
Isn't it lovely? So glad you saw it.
Was great, Just seen trailer for Emma Stone film what a shock
If you guys ever want to do a retro review of Shall We Dance (1995)... just sayin!
Such a lovely film!
I would love to review a movie with you guys!
Great, Irma! Email us at bfastalldaypod@gmail.com and let’s make plans.
Great review
It might not be for everyone, but I loved this movie. It is such a beautiful, heartwarming experience.
Truly, glad it spoke to you too.
6.8/10...Saw this tonight. It was just ok was expecting more from a Wenders film. It's pretty much like Patterson and Showing Up.
I'm leavin' a nasty smellin' dump for the janitor in one of these toilets next time I'm in Tokyo...slice of life yo! 😆
10 out of 10. Nothing but net.
Zone of Interest will get the foreign Oscar, but I much preferred this
This sounds lovely. I want to watch it so bad
It really is! Hope it's playing near you.
I also thought it was water, but it’s alcohol 😅😅😅
Could be sake, right?
Possibly drinking a 'highball'
it looks good!
Wenders and Herzog, man... these German New Wave boys stay showing the youngins how it's done!
Okay, this was kind of weird. I genuinely thought that Wim Wenders was dead.
Apparently he's not!
wanted to love this little slice of life, but that ending was… a choice - visually, cinematically, technically, such a childlike and tacky decision, really nettlesome; aside from that, cultural nuances and Koji Yakusho were great & insightful
Do you mean holding the camera on him as he's driving into work?
@@BreakfastAllDay precisely + Koji’s overplaying that last sequence + song choice… as per my experience, that was unbearable, killed the overall vibe with that huge portion of over-sentimentality
A film for broken men
:D
Had to walk out after falling asleep 10 times from this garbage.
Sorry to hear that. We found it quite lovely and moving.
Haha! Garbage sleep I get it. Sounds like you understood the movie on a deep level because the main character cleaned out garbage and fell asleep many times too. Why did you go to the movie? What were you expecting? Explosions?
Lol - typical meandering Wim Wenders movie. He's celebrated for generating boredom in that "unique" arthouse style (that every director has). PD is over two hours long, and 80% of the movie is scrubbing and cleaning, so beware. I did get some of the things C&A mentioned, but it's not enough for a feature film. Also, what does Wim Wenders know about Japanese culture that he gets to represent it? Feels odd and wrong to me that Japan would submit a film by a European director instead of by their own. When it made the shortlist, I guaranteed my friends that it would be nominated because it was Wim Wenders. That's how it usually goes. Whoever has the most clout gets the love.
1. The first half of this argument just reads like "I have no attention span."
2. Who cares if Wenders isn't Japanese? If he did the research, made a good movie and the Japanese submission board found it respectful enough to represent them, then what does it matter? Plenty of directors make films in other countries and cultures and do a good job of it.
3. Wenders movies have been submitted by Germany, like, 3 times before and never got nominated. Same happens with a lot of famous directors. By this logic, Fallen Leaves should've been a shoe-in because Kaurismäki is a legend and the film has gotten tons of clout.
No attention span because I want story rather than a guy cleaning for two hours. Got it. We've had this debate before. Seems like you like slow and boring movies, which is your choice. Though perhaps you've bought into the lie that slow and boring is art, which I've been trying to deconstruct. PD does have its merits, but it's ridiculous to shower such praise on this movie. It's certainly not a 9.5. I give it a 6, which is still above average. I argue that the merits of this film, which Christy and Alonso spoke about, would not be so highly appreciated if they were served in a movie with a strong narrative. In other words, it has to be served in this "understated" package in order to receive such praise.
What drives me crazy about film criticism in general is the grandstanding that goes on. It's almost like arthouse lovers want to pretend they're geniuses. Lol. They have the intellect and sophistication to get what others can't. Most people are not brilliant, so this is an easy way to pretend. It's the 'Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome.'
The previous Wenders films that weren't nominated all did make the shortlist. He of course didn't have the legendary status he has today, and was competing with filmmakers that did have that status already at the time. But you have to also take into account the meme value of having a celebrated director make a film in a foreign land and not in his native tongue. Japan obviously felt honored by his interest in their country, and so they chose his film for submission. I saw PD months ago before it even made the shortlist, and I predicted it would be nominated.
They could have chosen films by their own directors, such as Godzilla Minus One or Monster. GMO is a better film. I haven't seen Monster, though that has a higher RT rating than PD. Though Monster is probably another slow and boring art movie judging by that director's other work. Oh yeah, it's that deadpan style that is so "bold" and "unique" and "subversive." 😉@@thefilmseeker
@@angelthman1659 Oh yeah, I knew your pfp looked familiar... you're the "snail's pace" guy! Well, there's no point in arguing this again, especially if you're of the opinion that Godzilla is better and that Kore-eda's work is "slow and boring." There's no convincing you of the value of art films when your go-to argument is "Well I liked Whiplash!"
Just stick to the kiddie pool, pal.
Can't come up with a real argument so resort to insults. I've tried to keep it civil. Enjoy your Kool-Aid @@thefilmseeker
@@angelthman1659There’s no point in arguing in good faith with someone so condescending they inherently assume anyone who likes slower movies is grandstanding because they can’t fathom anyone with an attention span.